


Sadder but Wiser

by Black_Byakko



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 15:18:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15843978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Byakko/pseuds/Black_Byakko
Summary: You make mistakes in life, some small, some large, but all of which will come back to haunt you in the end. Will you learn from them or let them destroy you?





	1. Chapter 1

“I’m here looking for a…Eva Queen?”

The little busboy cocked his head in thought. “Sorry miss…”

“Swan. Emma Swan.”

“That’s cool, like the Swan Princess.”

“The who?”

“You know, Princess Odette. From Swan Lake.”

“Oh…I’ve never seen it.”

“Eh, the movie’s not all that great, but my mom and I really enjoy the bal-“

“Um, kid? Not to be rude, but Eva Queen?”

“Oh right, my bad. Sorry Miss Swan, but there’s no Eva Queen-“ the boy snorted.

“You okay kid?”

The tiny busboy put down the tray of dishes in his arms, trying to hold in his laughter…and failing.

“Sorry, sorry,” he pulled himself together, smile still plastered on his face, “Yeah, there’s no one by that name around here.”

“But why were you laughing?”

“Oh come on. Eva? Queen? As in Evil Queen? What kind of name is that? It sounds like something my mom would come up with to avoid the debt collectors.”

Emma frowned. “Oh. Well…that is sorta funny. But I think we’re getting a little sidetracked here kid; so there’s no one name Eva who lives around here?”

“Not that I know of. It’s a pretty small town, and everybody comes down here. So yeah, someone with that…unique…kinda name, I think I’d remember that. What brings you to town anyway?”

“Business.”

“Ah, business. That totally explains everything.”

“Look kid, no offense, but it’s not really any of your business. And aren’t you a little too young to be working in a bar anyway? What are you, eight?

“I’m ten. And my mom owns this place. I help out.” The boy grinned brightly. He thrust out his hand. “I’m Henry by the way.”

“…nice to meet you kid. Well maybe you can help me find this address,” Emma pulled out a piece of paper, “‘713 Enchanted Way’?” Henry looked at the paper.

“That’s my house! Wait…” Henry glanced up at Emma, “what did you say you did again?”

“I didn’t. And didn’t you say your mom sometimes makes fakes names.” The kid glanced sideways, suddenly looking extremely uncomfortable.

“Uh, no. I said that that was a name my mom _would_ come up with, not that she _actually_ did.”

Emma crouched down to meet the kid’s eye level. “Hey kid, wanna hear a secret?” Henry glanced at her almost sheepishly. Emma continued, “I’ve got a superpower.” Henry’s eyes glittered, intrigued. Emma grinned smugly, “I can tell whenever someone is lying to me.” The boy’s eyes widened, looking slightly panicked. “And while that was a nice try, I can tell that you’re not telling me the whole truth kid.”

“But I’m not lying!”

“But there’s something you’re not telling me.” Henry’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you a cop?” he demanded.

Emma let out a bark of laughter. “No kid, I’m not a cop. I’m just trying to settle some debts.”

“That sounds dangerous. Are you gonna hurt my mom?” Emma’s brow furrowed, slightly insulted by the accusation.

“Hurt her- kid no! I’m a bail bondsman, not a freaking mobster. Why would you think that?”

Henry glaring at her suspiciously parroted back at her, “Look, lady, no offense, it’s not really any of your business.”

Emma felt a twinge of annoyance and a growing respect for the cheeky little brat. “Touche.” A man in a top hat called to Henry from behind the bar counter.

“Henry, what are ya doing kid? Bring back the dishes.”

“Sorry Jefferson!” Henry gathered up the tub of dishes and rushed to the kitchen, looking relieved.

“Wait, kid!” Emma tried, but it was too late, Henry had disappeared behind the kitchen’s swinging doors. “Damn it.” The man in the tophat learned against the counter, giving Emma a quick once over.

“Can I help you Miss?”

“I doubt it.” Emma groused, “Unless you know an Eva Queen.”

“An Evil Queen? ‘Fraid not. Unless you count Roni, but no one calls her that to her face?”

“Cranky?”

“Terrifying. Especially when it comes to the boy. You best be careful Miss,” the man’s voice hardened, “She wouldn't appreciate a stranger scaring him. Well, she wouldn’t appreciate a local doing that either, but especially a stranger. And come to think of it, neiwouldwouId I. If you’re looking for trouble, you’d best be moving on.”

Emma raised her hands placatingly. “Look buddy, I’m not looking for any trouble, I’m just trying to do my job here.”

“Which would be…?” he asked, gesturing for her to continue.

“None of your- you know what, fine. Whoever this Eva Queen person is, she ducked out of town before her trial. Her sister put up the bail money and let’s just say that she’s not exactly made of green. Plus if I don’t get her, I don’t get paid, and that would meen that I’ve been tracking her down for over a week for absolutely nothing. Do you know someone who can help me find this bitch so I can just go the hell home already? I don’t want to be here anymore than you.”

The man tapped his lip with a finger in mock consideration. “Do I know someone? Well, I know a lot of people, but there’s so many! Do I know someone? Do I know someone?”  


“You know what,” Emma growled, “a simple no would have sufficed. I’ll just have to tell this Wicca Green person tough luck then. Thanks for nothing jackass –“

“Wait,” the man said, suddenly perking up. “Did you say Wicca Green?”

“Yeah, what’s it to ya? Feeling helpful all of a sudden?”

“For a pretty girl like you? Always.” Emma rolled her eyes.

“Alright, fine buddy-“

“Jefferson.”

“Fine, Jefferson. Whadda got?”

“Well you, poppet, are being pranked.”

“...Excuse me?”

“Or rather, you’re _part_ of a prank. ‘Wicca Green’ as you know her, is known as Zelena West in these parts. She likes to play pranks on the patrons of this lovely establishment, and on the poor, poor employees who work here.”

“So mainly you?”

“Usually only me. But that’s beside the point. Zelena likes to open fake tabs under that name - Wicca Green- whenever we have a new bartender on duty. Roni usually waves it off…but not until after Zelena has racked it up to the hundreds.”

“That doesn’t sound like a sound business model if you ask me.”

“Oh don’t get me wrong. Roni is usually a hard ass when it comes to the bill, but she’s got a soft spot for our Miss Green.”

“But then why prank her?”

“Eh, Zelena’s a bit of a jealous sort. Whenever Roni gets a new toy or something, or even if Zelena just feel’s like she’s sitting a little too high on her horse, she’ll play a prank or something on our dear boss to bring her down a peg or two.”

“And she still works here?”

“Well not really. But she is the boss’s sister, so there’s that.”

“And the Eva Queen deal?”

“That’s what we call the boss when she’s on her period, dinner rush, during tax season, or just whenever she’s being _particularly_ unpleasant.”

Emma looked unimpressed. “Ookayy, well I need to talk to _someone_. Prank or not, if this Zelena chick doesn’t clear things up with my bosses, I don’t get paid. And getting between me and my money is a dangerous thing buddy.”

Jefferson laughed. “Fair enough. I’ll ring the boss up. You sit tight. Wanna drink while you wait? It’s on the house.”

“Sounds goods.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

Regina rushed through the front door. “Zelena!”

The redhead propped herself on the couch. “Oh hey sis! How are you doing this lovely evening darling?”

“Well let’s see,” Regina snarled, “I just got a call from my bartender that a _bailbondsman_ has shown up to my restaurant claiming to be looking for a ‘ _Eva Queen_ ’. Does that name ring any bells? _Wicca_?”

“Eva Queen? Never heard of her.”

“ _Zelena._ ”

“Oh bother your no fun. It was an innocent prank.”

“She thinks that I’m on bail for trespassing and theft!”

“So?”

“Stealing _ladies underwear_.”

“That was a brilliant little story wasn’t it?”

Regina took a deep, shuddering breath. “Zelena, I have put up with the unpaid bar tabs, the salt in customer’s drinks, and even the dart incident-“

“Jefferson isn’t supposed to sit on duty anyway. I was helping him!”

“But this?” Regina continued, ignoring her sister’s whining, “This is beyond your usual childish pranks. You’re could get us in serious trouble!”

“Roni, it’s a _private_ agency, not a federal one. We’ll be fine.”

“Did you take money from them?”

“Only a little bit.”

“ZELENA!”

“Oh calm yourself sis, I have the money right here.” She pulled a sack of cash from the wicker blanket basket from next to the couch. “We give it back to whoever they sent, I talk around, and bipide bopiti boo, everything’s back to normal.”

“Well if it doesn’t, it’s on _your_ head.”

“Roni please, have I ever steered us wrong?”

“Too many times.”

“Not the answer I wanted.”

“But true nevertheless.”

 

__0__

“So you’re _not_ after my mom?”

Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes, answering for the umpteenth time, “No kid, I’m not.”

Henry studied her for a moment, and seemingly satisfied with whatever it was that he had found, proceeded to clamber up the bar stool next to her. Emma’s arm twitched when the boy’s foot slipped and nearly making him lose balance. Finally situated beside her, her was grinning at her expectantkt.

“Can I help you kid?”

“Jefferson said that you’re from the city, tell me what it’s like!”

Jefferson laughed from the end of the bar. “The boy get’s straight to the point if nothing else.”

“Is his mom like that?”

“Doubly so. And she’s nearly never as polite.”

“Sounds like a lovely woman,” Emmma commented dryly.

“Oh she is!” Henry answered brightly, “She’s really smart. She’s always knows just what to say to get people to do what she wants. She says that’s because she’s magic. I’ve tried to find her spellbooks but she hides them too well.” Henry then launched into a triad on where he thought that his magical mother could have been hiding her magic, her other potential powers, and the possibility that he might have inheretied some of those powers as well. Emma was surpised to find herself so engaged, she generally didn’t like kids, or their babbling, but the kid was a gifted storyteller. The bell at the front door jingled.

“Jefferson, where are they?”

“Well good afternoon Roni, lovely to see you as always.”

“Cut the cra-“ Regina glanced to see her son, watching her, “-ss, Jefferson. I’m here with Zelena to sort this whole mess out.” Zelena leaned from behind her sister.

“Hello,”

“Hi Aunt Zelena!”

“Why hello my little author! What have you been up to today?”

“I’ve been helping!” Regina’s eyes narrowed.

“Jefferson, jave you been using my son for free labor, _again_?”

“Well, in my defense boss, I didn’t want to. Henry on the otherhand was more the delighted to help his Uncle Jefferson keep his mom’s buissness running smoothly.”

“Yeah mom! I wanted to help Uncle Jefferson!”

“He’s not your Uncle Henry,” Regina corrected tiredly, “And you know that I don’t want you hanging around the bar when I’m not around.”

“But you said I could come over today,”

“Only because you promised to do your homework!” A cough interrupted the mother-son duo’s bickering.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I take it that _you’re_ Eva?” Regina turned to face the strange woman at the bar.

“I’m Roni, Roni Sinclair, and I’m so sorry for this-“

“Wait a minuet- Regina?!” both women froze when they saw each other. Regina’s eye’s widened when she managed to get a good look at the blonde’s face. Emma was gobsmacked. “No fucking way.” The redhead that came in her looked curiously between them.

“Sis, do you know her?” Emma could almost see the cogs working in Regina’s head, and the brunnette’s face smoothly shifted to one of concerned confusion.

“I’m sorry miss, I do believe that you have me mistaken for somelese.

“Regina, it’s me, Emma!” Regina’s face remained bemused, but her eyes were like steel.

“I’m truly sorry…Emma, but I’m afraid that I’m not the person that you think I am.” Only Emma seemed to pick up on the slight warning tone under the woman’s voice. She knew Regina recognized her!

“Maybe you have an evil clone!” Henry piped up.

“Maybe,” Regina shrugged, quickly turning to her son, “You never know. Or maybe just a regular clone.”

“Why not evil?”

“Why does she need to be evil?”

“It makes for a better story.”

“You sound like a periodical writer.”

“Huh?”

“A tabloid writer darling,” Zelena supplied. Regina took Henry’s hand and gave Zelena and impassive look.

“I almost forgot that you were here,” she drawled. Regina jerked her head back at Emma, “Clean up your mess would you?” Regina faced Emma, her face neutral. “Forgive me for all this, my sister will clear up everything. Feel free to take her back with you to prision.”

“Hey!”

Regina and Henry began walking to the door when Emma called out, “Hey wait a minuet, you’re just going to leave?”  


“Zelena will supply you with everything you’ll need,” Regina replied, “Please forgive my hasty departure, but I’ve got to get my son home before the dinner crowd arrives. I’m sorry that you came all this was for nothing Miss Swan. Have a good night.” And with that, they were gone.

“Well,” Zelena quipped, “That was certainly interesting.”

Emma huffed. “That’s one word for it. Ah well, looks like I was wrong. I take it that you’re

 ‘Wicca Green?’”

Zelena reached out a hand, a flirtatious smile across her face. “In the flesh. A pleasure I’m sure.”

Emma returned the smile, taking her hand when suddenly, Zelena heard the clanking of a handcuff being slapped across her wrist. Zelena’s smile froze in place, and Jefferson gave a howl of laughter. “Gideon’s gonna love this!”

“Zelena West, you’re coming with me.”


	3. Chapter 3

Emma looked at a picture of Henry with his noise buried in a book.

“And the kid?” she tried asking nonchalantly.

Regina was flipping through bank ledgers and receipts. “He was dropped off in a basket on the front porch of Fiona’s house. Whoever left him there obviously wasn’t a very good social worker.” Emma’s face paled. Regina didn’t notice.

“How old is he again?”

“Ten.”

“Oh no.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t good.”

“What did she do?”

“Nothing. She wasn’t home at the time so I took him inside, packed my things, and left that night. No one was the wiser.”

Emma was stunned. “You kept him? Why?”

“Because I knew what would happen to him if he stayed. Remember the ‘Lost Boys?’”

“I try not to.”

“Exactly. I wasn’t going to let him go through that. Plus-,“ Regina glanced at the photo on the wall, “He needed me.”

A warm feeling filled Emma’s chest. It almost drowned out the guilt.

“But taking him by yourself? Regina-“

“Emma stop. I tolerate a lot, which in all honestly, we can both agree that your presence here certainly qualifies as. And while I can tolerate a lot, but I will _not_ t pity. From anyone.”

“I wasn’t-“

“I see guilt in your eyes, and with you, guilt always turns to pity. I’ve worked hard to get people’s respect and I won’t accept pity, not from them and most certainly not from you. I am not weak.”

“I never said that,” Emma sighed.

“Then you’re smarter than you look.”

Emma shook her head tiredly. “You’re not weak. I got it. But so you left by yourself?”

Regina picked up a framed photo on her desk, smiling as she looked at the man, the women, and the baby in the picture. “I was turning eighteen in a couple of months; Fiona would have kicked me out as soon as the government checks stopped rolling in. Zelena was expecting and she had a place up here, so I took Henry, I took Gideon, and I left.”

“Wait, Gideon as in, that kid that kept tailing after me when we were kids? Fiona’s golden boy?”

“That’s the one.”

“How’d you convince him to come? Did Fiona let him go?”

“He came on his own, and no. He hated there as much- if not more- as anyone else. He never liked to talk about what Fiona did to him, but when he found me packing and saw Henry, be both agreed that that place was no place for a baby. He stole some money and we left, making sure to cover our tracks until we both turned eighteen.”

“And you trusted him? You still trust him?”

“He’s the only reason I managed to get here safely. And…as far as the law is concerned, he’s Henry’s biological father.”

“What?! Regina how-”

“After I got to Storybrooke, Henry got sick, and I didn’t have any paperwork for him, so the hospital was getting suppious. So Gideon came up with the story that he got me knocked up-“

Emma winced.

“-and told them that Henry was born in a bathtub. We convinced them that we kept him a secret uptil then because we were underage when he was born and didn’t want him taken away from us. Not a total lie.”

“And they bought it?”

“We were a couple a new rejects of the Ohio foster system. Of course they bought it. Plus by that time, I was eighteen, with my sister, and had a job - I had enough security and stability that they couldn’t take Henry away from me. Thankfully they didn’t run any DNA tests or we would have been screwed. Anyhow, they provided us some paperwork and Gideon signed the dotted line as Henry’s ‘father’. With the exception of a year of months ago, he’s been living with me and Zelena ever since.”

“Why’d he leave?”

“He found his parents. They moved into town to get to know him and invited him to live with them. Apparently Gideon’s father has another son, but he’s estranged.” There was an awkard silence.

“Did you ever…” Regina sighed, still not looking up from her work.

“My mother and father both died of heart attacks. Thankfully, Zelena and I were able to see Mother once…she was on her deathbed.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. She made it quite clear that she hadn’t wanted us. To her credit, she did seem sincerely regretful in the end, but it was a _very_ last minuet change if heart that brought her to us. We didn’t even know that she existed until the private investigator she hired to find us showed up at our door.”

“That’s-“

“Disappointing? Yes it was,” Regina commented unconcerned, still looking through her receipts, “But she left her and Daddy’s money to me in her will, so there was that.”

“Well I was going to say depressing, but that work’s to? And she left the money to you? What about Zelena?” Regina froze for a second before going back to work, her voice with a tinge of guilt. “Mother didn’t leave her anything.”

Emma couldn’t believe it. “Nothing?”

“No,” Regina paused again, looking up and through the window to where he sister was playing with Henry and Robin. “As she _loves_ to remind me.”

“Is that why you put up with those pranks. Because you feel bad?” Regina looked up at Emma in irritation.

“I ‘put’ up with her Miss Swan, because she is my sister. She took me in when I needed her most and she’s the only blood relative that I got.”

Emma raised her hands in a placating manner. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong. But you have to admit, you let her off pretty easy.” Regina shifted uncomfortably.

“I _may_ think that it’s a little unfair that Mother didn’t leave her anything,” she sniffed, before adding under her breath looking at nothing in particular, “And that she refuses to take any of it from me.” Emma smirked.

 She glanced back at Emma, trying to change the direction of the conversation. “And what about you Miss Swan? Or rather Miss,” she snorted, “ _Savior_?”

Emma shifted uncomfortably. “So you heard about that huh?

Regina raised an eyebrow, “About how the almost royal power couple, David and Snow Savior found their long lost daughter after almost 20 years? Hard not to. But if you don’t mind, I’ll stick to calling you Miss Swan. Rolls off the tongue easier.”

“Agreed. But how did you know it was _me_?”

“I’d know you anywhere. Plus, I watch the news. So do tell me, _Miss Swan_ , what’s it like living like a princess?”

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t live with them.”

“The life of a bailbondsman was too enticing?”

Emma growled. “I wasn’t raised for all that debutante crap.”

“So you threw it all away?”

“I followed my own path.”

“And look where it led you.”

“Back to you? Well I can think of worse places,” Emma joked. Regina gave her a hard look.

“Don’t.” Emma rolled her eyes in frustration.

“Fine.”

“So you just ditched your family?” Regina accused. Now it was Emma’s turn to look angry. “What? It’s not like it’d be the first time,” she commented coolly. She didn’t realize how close she hit home. Emma’s fist tightened as she fought to restrain herself. Regina looked unimpressed.

“I’m-I’m going to let that one slide. I see my family all the time. I love them, I just prefer the way I love now.”

“And they haven’t tried to ‘convert’ you?”

“No. They tried, but they’ve let go at this point.”

“Well considering that they had a baby to take you’re place I’m not surprised. “The moment the words left her lips, Regina knew that she had gone too far. Emma’s eyes flashed.

“That was low Regina. Even for you, that was low.” Regina had the decency to look embarrassed, if not a little ashamed.

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.” An awkward silence ensued. Emma glanced at Henry’s picture.

“Does the kid know?”

“That Gideon’s not his father? Yes, he does. He just thinks Gideon is just an uncle.”

“And the rest?”

“He doesn’t need to know Miss Swan. Not yet.”

“Maybe never?”

“What I do and don’t tell my son is absolutely none of your concern Miss Swan.”

“What if he finds out?”

“Then I tell him.”

“What about his birth mother?”

“What about her?”

“She could come back.”

“Miss Swan, as far as the law is concerned, I am Henry’s biological mother. I don’t care who Henry’s birth mother is because whoever she is, she gave up all rights to him when she left him on that witch’s doorstep.”

“And she wants to make amends?”

“I won’t let her put my son though that!”

“But he’s her son too!”

Regina’s eye’s widened, and then slowly narrowed in suspicion, a dangerous lilt to her voice. “Do you have something you would like to share with the class Miss Swan?”

“Can you cut it out with the ‘Miss Swan’ shit already Regina? You know we’re beyond that,” Emma snapped.

“Are we _Miss Swan_? I’m sure that you’re mistaken. Or that that faulty memory is failing you once again.”

“Does anything have to be a rude comment with you?”

“Have you done anything to deserve otherwise?”

Emma was getting beyond frustrated. “What have I done to deserve it in the first place?! Sure Regina, you could be blunt sometimes, but never like this.”

Regina’s eyes flashed angrily. “Oh my apologies _Emma_ , I forgot that I was in the presence a Savior, someone that could do _absolutely_ no wrong.”

“Regina-“

“No. You don’t get to ‘Regina’ me.” The shorter woman snapped, “You don’t get to come in and talk to me as if we were teenagers again, as if nothing change or like nothing happened. And by the sounds of it, more happened than I initially thought.”

Emma threw her hands up in the air at a loss. “That was 17 years ago!”

“And then what happened at year 18?” Emma stormed up to the desk and slammed down her fist, her voice almost desperate.

“I only wanted to give him his best chance!”

The tension in the room was suffocating. Regina looked livid and Emma looked both furious and on the edge of tears.

“I think,” Regina began, her voice cold as ice, “that you’ve overstayed your welcome _Miss_ _Swan_. It’s time for you go.”

Emma could only nod, and she walked towards the door. But as she put her hand on the knob, she couldn’t stop herself from whispering, “I was only trying to give him his best chance.”

“Goodbye Emma.”


	4. Chapter 4

“It wasn’t my fault!”

“Yes it was! I always tried, so _so_ hard, but nothing I did was ever good with good old Emma Swan around.”

“Everything that went wrong Regina, it was all on you.”

“Really? Everything? So the gas station-“

“If you had just left those chips back on the shelf-“

“Fiona put them in my backpack!

“You were always hanging around Mal and her gang-“

“What about you and August?”

“Look you know I needed to get out of there-“

“SO YOU ABANDON ME?!”

The room was dead silent. Emma’s eyes were wide in shock, unable to think of anything to say. Which was fine, as Regina continued, angrily rubbing away the tears forming in her eyes, hating just how _weak_ she sounded. “You abandoned me. The first chance you got, you left me behind at that _horrible_ place with that wretched woman.” She glared up at Emma, “Fiona was cruel. Dismissive, abusive…she was a monster. You left me alone with her, and for what? To run off with a two-bit pickpocket who ditched you the first time a girl tickled his fancy?”

“Regina that’s not-“

Regina ignored her, almost whispering, as if speaking to herself, “I’m always, _always_ trying to be good. But it was always so hard. When we were kids, when I was with Cora, and especially, especially with _my_ son. And everytime, something goes wrong. It’s like-like you have all this…light surrounding you, no matter how bad things got, luck somehow always went your way. And for me? It’s like every time I get to that-that stupid line that separated me from that light, I was jerked back into the darkness again. The only time that it was any different, it was when I was with you. When I was with you…everything was better. No matter what happened, it was enough…I was enough. Or at least I thought I was.” Regina sniffed, pulling yourself together. Emma hesitantly reached forward.

“Regina…I-“

“Emma, _don’t._ ” The blonde flinched. Regina straightened herself up. “Just, don’t.” She met Emma with a steely gaze. “You left me back then, but you see?” she opened her arms, “I managed to claw my way out of that god damn system and create a new life for myself. I have my restaurant, I have my sister, and I have my son. A new life, a new family, a new…, well, me! All this, I did on my own, without _you_. I’m not that little girl who’d run to you every time something went bump in the night. I don’t need you.” anymore.”

Emma sighed. “I know Regina.”

“Then why are you here?”

Emma moved slowly, as if not to startle Regina, and took her hands into their own, internally marveling at the feel of callouses on her pristine looking hands. Regina though seemingly prissy, was never one to shy away from hard work. Regina stiffened, but she didn’t pull away. “Regina, I’m not going to make any excuses. I-I was scared, and selfish, and-and stupid. So so stupid. I should have never broken my promise to you, and I am sorry Regina. So so sorry. But you’re right, you’ve come so far. A lot farther than I have,” she chuckled weakly. Regina’s lip twitched. “You’re brave, and uhh, beautiful.” Emma coughed before continuing, “But most of all, you are the strongest person that I have ever met. You always were. You saidthay you hid behinf me, but in reality I was always depending on you. Once you started hanging out with Mal and her crew, you didn’t need me anymore. I didn’y kow what to do, I felt…alone. August and Hook, they offered me a way out. I wanted to take you with us but-“

“But you didn’t think that I’d come with you.”

“No. I was afraid that you would.” Regina balked, and Emma rushed to continue. “Regina, before I met you I used to live on the streets. You think Fiona was bad? At least you had a roof over your head, food in belly; you didn’t have to fight every day for scraps or fight off…well fight off people bigger than you. Regina, I lived that life, and that life wasn’t one that I wanted to drag you into. You were always smarter than me, and look! Regina, I couldn’t even dream of doing what you’ve done!” Emma’s thumb rubbed the top of Regina’s hand.

“But you found you’re family.”

“And you _made_ yours. You’ve always been able to find friends in the darkest of places. You said that you were always dragged in the shadows? You were there to give those stuck there a second chance. And you did. That’s what you’ve always done, even when we were kids. And Henry, he has the same gift. You took him in, you take everyone in. It’s why-why I love you.

Regina froze. “Emma, I-“ and before Regina could get in another word Emma bent in, capturing her lips in her own. When they parted, Regina looked a little dazed. Emma licked her lips, and began to recite a poem:

 

I have been one acquainted with the night.

I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.

I have outwalked the furthest city light.

 

I have looked down the saddest city lane.

I have passed by the watchman on his beat

And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

 

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet

When far away an interrupted cry

Came over houses from another street,

 

But not to call me back or say good-bye;

And further still at an unearthly height,

One luminary clock against the sky

 

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right

I have been one acquainted with the night.

 

“Regina, you’re not darkeness, you’re-you’re night. You’re always stepping back to let others shine, even if it’s at cost to you.


End file.
